A former interim superintendent for the El Paso Independent School District claims that the Texas Education Agency, speaking through district conservator Judy Castleberry, recommended that several administrators should be removed and investigated for their involvement in a cheating scandal that has shaken the local education community.

REPORTER

Aaron Bracamontes

Kenneth George, who was interim superintendent at EPISD for about three weeks after Terri Jordan stepped down, said he received the recommendations in September 2012 during a conversation with Castleberry, who at the time was the monitor of the district, overseeing EPISD's activities.

Castleberry and the TEA rebuffed George's charges and said no such recommendations were made at any time during George's term as interim superintendent.

Ken Parker, the district's former chief business officer, made similar accusations in a letter he sent late Monday night to supporters of eight administrators who had been placed on administrative leave following the results of an audit by Weaver, a Fort Worth-based accounting firm. Parker also hinted that Weaver had been selected by the TEA to conduct the audit.

The school board late Tuesday decided to reinstate three principals and four assistant principals. The board recommended that the contract of one principal not be renewed.

Parker said in the letter that he was told by George there were 14 administrators targeted for termination.

"My concerns began in late September 2012 when Interim Superintendent Kenneth George disclosed to me in his office that TEA monitor Judy Castleberry had a list of 14 EPISD administrators who TEA wanted terminated," Parker's letter said.

"No such list exists or has ever existed," TEA spokesman Gene Acuña said in an email response.

Castleberry, who has been appointed conservator of the district, said in an interview Tuesday that there was no verbal or written list.

But George said he remembered Castleberry making the recommendations while they were inside the superintendent's office. The list was only verbal and not on paper, George said.

"I don't remember how many they told me," George said. "They did give me a certain number."

George, who did not name the campus leaders recommended for removal, said he requested that the recommendations be in writing along with any evidence.

"What they were requesting I do was put them on leave of absence so that an investigation could take place," George said. "That's when I wanted to see evidence that these people were involved. If we were going to put anyone on leave I wanted it in writing."

TEA officials admitted that there was a request for evidence, but for one employee, whom the FBI was investigating.

"According to Dr. Castleberry, discussions in this context revolved around one EPISD employee being investigated by the FBI at that time," Acuña said in the email. "Mr. George indicated he did not have cause for reassignment or termination. Mr. George advised Dr. Castleberry some written basis was necessary for such action. None was provided since the federal investigation was ongoing."

George confirmed that the FBI investigation was a factor in the decision to not place any administrators on leave.

"It didn't happen because basically what we did was meet with the FBI first," George said.

"At that time we decided that (placing administrators on leave) wasn't the best thing to do."

A couple days after that, he was replaced by current interim Superintendent Vernon Butler. The replacement was not a surprise, George said.

"When they asked me to be interim superintendent, they had already basically made arrangements with Mr. Butler," George said. "They needed someone for about three weeks. That was the agreement."

Acuña did say they were in the process of documenting the cause for removal of one employee who was under FBI investigation.

Parker, who retired from the district in January, said he wrote the letter because he was upset at the way the district was going about terminating eight campus leaders.

"I didn't feel like I could come forward with this information until I was retired," Parker said. "When I saw what happened, I didn't feel like the process was handled in a professional manner."

He said the district was moving too fast.

"What I hope would happen is that the process slow down some and that the board makes sure the right policies are followed," Parker said. "Let them give their side of the story. And then those who are guilty should be held accountable."

Parker said he believes the reason the eight administrators were facing possible termination was because the TEA had asked the district to fire them after meeting with officials of the Weaver firm.

He said he reached that conclusion based on his observations and discussions with district employees.

Acuña disputed Parker's claims.

"Mr. Parker's allegations are without merit," Acuña said. "As Mr. Parker notes in his letter, 'the engagement letter/contract is between EPISD and Weaver.' Dr. Castleberry (a contractor with TEA) or TEA are not parties to the contract. No forensic audit findings were presented to TEA officials because the contract is with EPISD."

He said any contact between Weaver and TEA did not deal with the audit findings.

"Weaver representatives never communicated any audit findings directly to TEA," he said. "As emphasized to reporters of the El Paso Times, TEA has never received a copy of the Weaver report -- neither preliminary or final version -- until given access to the report via the El Paso media."

Weaver did meet with Castleberry, but only as a part of its research on the district's structure, Acuña said.

"In November 2012, Dr. Castleberry met once with Weaver representatives in San Antonio," Acuña said. "The meeting was aimed at providing an overview of the district and its administrative structure."

Weaver did ask to speak with another TEA representative, but only as a part of the investigation, Acuña said. That meeting never took place.

"At one point, a Weaver representative contacted us seeking an interview with a specific TEA staff member as part of its investigation," Acuña said.

"That representative met with our Chief Deputy and General Counsel to determine the relevance as it related to the EPISD-specific audit. Through that discussion, it was determined that an interview was not warranted. There was no further contact."

Parker said in his letter that he asked for additional time to advertise the audit in order to receive as many bids as possible. But he said Castleberry checked with TEA and that the agency wanted it done as fast as possible.

"It was almost like they knew whom they wanted to do the forensic audit before it was ever posted in the newspaper (which was required)," Parker's letter said.

Acuña denied the allegation.

"It is interesting to note the timing of allegations being leveled at this time by some who have had months to express their concerns about the process, the audit and the roles of the various entities," Acuña said.

"Some of these allegations we have heard before and they have already been found without merit. While many look to Austin as the driving force behind these actions, be assured that all personnel matters and decisions that have or are taking place in the EPISD are being made at the local level."

Aaron Bracamontes may be reached at abracamontes@elpasotimes.com; 546-6156. Follow him on Twitter @AaronBrac